This house caught my eye as I came back from walking Clare to the station so she could head home. I think it shows two things about Brighton: 1) its multiculturalism: unless I’m mistaken, that’s a Boca Juniors flag in the top window (an Argentinian football team). 2) – the fact that this town is built on one of the largest piles of pebbles in the world, namely, the South coast of England.
It’s about time this place appeared on the blog. I probably visit Brighton about three or four times a year, and always stay here. If you want double glazing, thermostat-controlled air conditioning, bidets and trouser presses in your room, stay somewhere else. If these things don’t matter to you and you’re in Brighton: then I highly recommend it.
Had a few candidates for today’s pic: it was a good day all round, weather, events, result, location. But this photo most encapsulates the day. Vicente Rodriguez has just scored Brighton & Hove Albion’s first goal in a 2-0 defeat of Portsmouth, we go up to 5th in the table, I maintain my 100% record at the new Amex stadium and what with lots of other nice things happening at the moment, all seems pretty good in my world.
The story behind this place is such a long and difficult one to tell – North & Hodson’s book Build a Bonfire will give you the first part, doubtless someone will write the second instalment one day. Suffice it to say that as a Brighton fan making my inaugural visit here this afternoon, when I first entered it, I cried. Just a little bit.
Today’s result: Brighton & Hove Albion 2, Barnsley 0. We won’t mention the failure of Southern rail to get me and a few thousand other fans back to Brighton because of a ‘staff shortage’. I mean, it’s not like they knew we were coming.
I grew up in the South of England but left 20 years ago and don’t tend to come back if I can help it. This place, however, is the one exception. Sometimes I wish they would swap it with Blackpool – the one carbuncle on the face of the North – then all the really good places would be up there and all the naff places down South, But it’s probably better this way round. However, a warning – there are plans to build some huge ‘observation tower’ in front of the ruined West Pier. Remember, if there is anything cool and beautiful, someone, somewhere, is planning to fuck it up.
Being 42 